SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA... - The Double Agents (Infidelity)
Here's the lay of the land, y'all...
Given a choice between a rock and roll band playing country and one born and bred into the Tamworth Mafia, I'll pick the former every time. Country rock shouldn't be constrained by tight formulas and preconceptions - and it should certainly never be homogenised like the Eagles. Even Neil Young's spent more time in the gutter than on tarred highways (and for all his off-beat goodness he's delivered down the years, I can almost forgive "Harvest" - I said 'almost'.)
There's no danger of Melbourne band The Double Agent taking a Golden Guitar award or beating a path to riches as Keith's coke roadies in Nashville. This is country rock with a dark urban heart (no pun intended.) I'm guessing it can hold its own on a gun barrel highway but is really more at home barreling along in a bald-tyred ute along a wet and greasy St Kilda Road. "Seemed Like a Good Idea..." is bigger, brassier and better than their debut ("Friends in Low Places") and drier than a Pilbara public swimming pool at the height of another Al Goore summer. I can't prtetend to be on first terms with the latter but I was inspired enough to go back and re-acquaint myself with the former.
The Gun Club comparison is inevitable I suppose (and in our recent TJ Honeysuckle interview with band leader Dave Butterworth we don't go out of our way to not perpetuate it) but there's no pervading sense of The Double Agents tying one on (or tying off) for infamy's sake. Both bands share a swampy, greasy sensibility. Where many cowpunk acts play it for laughs (The Johnnys being past masters back in the '80s) but these guys (and gal) are simply having a great time with no need for overloads of irony nothing or hokeyness.
In short, it's all about the songs and there are some great ones here. The single "Makin' Eyes" is a bona fide awkward beauty, a pin-up of a tune for the countrified masses with its rustic slide and catchy hook. Vocal duties on the album are carved up between Kim Walvisch and guitarist Dave Butterworth, and both have a left-of-centre, atonal edge that suits the songs down to the ground. (Shit, I thought Peter Garrett had popped in for a prayer and a political point at one stage in "Movin' Right On", the swinging strut that shuts down the CD. Beats flawless four-part harmonies, for mine.)
This isn't one of those records where the big guns of songs are reeled out at the start and the quality fades. "You Got It All" is an arresting opener but the quality keeps coming. "The Liar" and "Strawberry Red" battle it out for tour de force, the former wouldn't be out of place on a Bad Seeds disc. Miss Kim returns to centre mic for the reflective "Wasting My Time" mid-album and it's a poignant midpoint and clever tracking. The sparse bluesy lament "You Make Me Feel", the title track (with its choice guitarwork) and the closer all bring things home with a wet sail.
The Double Agents playing as an ensemble is at the heart of this album - it's the same line-up (save bassist Big Bangin' Ben Miller) as on the first album so they all know each other well. That's something you can't beat. Real band, real songs. - The Barman
1/2
FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES
- The Double Agents (Spooky)
Melbourne five piece The Double Agents have picked up from where they left off
on their debut EP and seem determined to make diversity a virtue with the 11
tracks here on "Friends in Low Places".
"Bottom Line" is an energetic, short and sharp rocker that opens the
album, and is followed by "Hole in My Heart". Where "Bottom Line"
rocks and gets you shaking, "Hole in My Heart" keeps things moving
in a Stonesy-MC5 (circa "Sister Anne") vein, and features the kind
of slide guitar playing to make Peter Wells take notice. Next are the swampy/jungle/garage
sounds of the title track with Kim "Miss Kimmy" Walvisch on lead vocals. This
is a blend of sounds and vocals which is incredibly unique - imagine Deborah
Harry were to get down and dirty fronting The Cramps at their swampy and sleazy
best.
"ÔWalk Away" takes listeners into a sombre, introspective Neil Young-influenced
mood, where vocalis-guitarist "Diamond" Dave Butterworth seems to ponder what
has just been with a previous partner...
"The Bliss" lifts the tempo (and volume) as "Miss Kimmy" takes back
lead vocal duties. It's an inspired decision as her delivery works incredibly
well as the song continuously builds. "Baby DonÕt Cry" seems like
a radical departure with its short and sharp blues-funk style. "Friend
like You" returns the band to its Neil Young/Stonesy roots with the rhythm
section solid and flexible and guitarist Ryan Tandy delivering some impressive
lead guitar work. "What You Need" is sombre country rock with great
vocals from "Diamond" Dave and Joel Silbersher. The closer, "Thrill Has
Gone" is a malevolent scorcher, in a similar vein to the New Christs' "Bed
of Nails".
The Double Agents' "Friends in Low Places" is the remarkable and impressive
debut LP and proves that Melbourne rock does not just rock, and can roll.
-
Simon Li
3/4
THE
DOUBLE AGENTS- The Double Agents (Humber)
Following the end of Melbourne’s, The Zeal; guitarist Dave Butterworth
and drummer Myles Gallagher, would soon form a group top reflect their range
of influences, outside of the MC5, Celibate Rifles, Radio Birdman, high energy,
guitar rock that was so influential on The Zeal.
What has resulted in their search for a band blending garage/soul/60s country
rock are The Double Agents. They include Dave Butterworth (vocals/guitar/piano)
and Myles Gallagher (drums), alongside Ryan Tandy [ex-Flychamers] (guitar/slide
guitar/mandolin), Sharon McClean (bass) and Kim Walvisch (piano/vocals).
After having been gigging around Melbourne for a year and a half, the group
has released its debut five track CDEP.
The CD opens with "Can’t have none", a mid-tempo country-flavoured
rocker with big dashes of slide guitar from Ryan Tandy and the distinctive vocals
of Dave Butterworth and harmonies from Kim Walvisch.
This is followed by "Action Swing", a track which brings to mind a
blend of swinging, swampy '60s garage flavored sounds with some interesting
hooks.
The next track, a cover of the Earl Randle and James Shaw composition "I
didn’t take your man (you gave him to me)" is a real surprise packet.
It features Dave Butterworth tinkling the ivories, allowing Kim Walvisch to
grab the mic. The song builds, so as to allow Kim to discuss how "Mary"
lost his man to another and was lost from Mary and whom lost him by her mistakes.
This track probably provides the highlight of this CDEP.
One could even suggest or be mistaken for thinking that this was sadly missed
from the soundtrack to the motion picture "Shaft".
The CD is rounded off with "Target", with Dave Butterworth, back to
vocal duties, as he discusses who might bring him displeasure, to the point
where they might be sought out and sorted out.
A fine debut from this Melbourne five-piece, creating sounds a highly select
few have attempted anywhere else. - Simon
Li
1/2
